Shadows of Danger
by Briar Patch
Summary: Ginny disappeared without a trace. Were her reasons valid or childish delusions. She must come to terms with her decisions as her daughter starts Hogwarts soon
1. Default Chapter

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I do not own Harry Potter, the characters or the ideas behind them. They are the soul property of R.K. Rowling. I am just borrowing them for a while and will try not to do too much harm with them. This story is my concept and any small similarities to another are purely coincidental. I will always reference any ideas I borrow from other wonderful authors.

Sixth year was finished and Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were sitting in a compartment on the Hogwarts Express talking about what they would do this summer. They all seemed relaxed but no one was really paying attention to Ginny. They just thought she was a little quiet and still tired after going through her OWLs. If truth be told, Harry, Ron and Hermione could remember how they felt after their OWLs and could sympathize with Ginny. Maybe that is why no one really noticed she was a more subdued than normal and mistaking this as being tired. They all knew she had really been stressed, to the point of near collapse just before exams began. So when she stood up and murmured something before exiting the compartment it generated little to no notice. The other three just continued discussing plans for the coming months.

Ginny's absence went unnoticed when the Hogwarts Express pulled into Victoria Station. Her continued absence caused little concern in all the hustle and bustle of unloading all the baggage and students, the shouts of greeting between parents and students and just the general mayhem associated with the train's arrival. Cause for concern started surfacing when the platform slowly emptied and there was still no sign of Ginny. Concern turned to alarm when platform 9¾ stood almost empty and Ginny was nowhere to be found. A massive search was quickly mounted but in the end there was still no sign of Ginny. It was as if she had vanished into thin air leaving behind only a memory of an emerging red headed woman.

The search for Ginny went on throughout the summer and off and on over the years that followed, but she was not found with no reasons or any idea why she would disappear. It was thought death eaters may have taken her, but that was soon discarded as not being possible. Hogwarts Express was too well protected after a recent attack and it couldn't happen without anyone noticing. Besides, why take only one girl and then not make any demands for her. Her disappearance remained a mystery.


	2. Spring Day

**__**

I do not own Harry Potter, the characters or the ideas behind them. They are the soul property of R.K. Rowling. I am just borrowing them for a while and will try not to do too much harm with them. This story is my concept and any small similarities to another are purely coincidental. I will always reference any ideas I borrow from other wonderful authors.

- Spring Day -

Ginny pushed the glass pane outward as a hint of a breeze danced across her cheek. It was a nice spring morning and she could tell it would not be long until summer would finally arrive. She took a deep breath and slowly let it out; she loved when spring would tickle the flowers awake to bring forth each new growing season. Behind her she heard a noise and then the sullen voice of the American couple's son complaining about "roughing it". Ah well time for work she thought.

Ginny walked around making sure all the place setting were arranged nicely at the small tables spread around the circular glassed in room. It always gave a good impression to the lodgers when they came down for breakfast. She was just going to get the coffee and tea when the young boy's voice became more strident ignoring his mother's efforts to hush him up.

"I hate this place. Why did we have to come to one of these places? There are so many muggles and it isn't fair, I can't do magic because of them," he spat out. Ginny just shook her head as she walked up to the table.

"May I offer you tea or coffee," she asked with a pleasant smile

"Coffee," said both parents together while the little girl shyly shook her head no.

"And you young sir," Ginny asked as she finished pouring the coffee.

"Tea," he mumbled sullenly.

Ginny smiled at the young boy as she poured his tea. "So, you are a great wizard huh? Of course that means you have a license to perform magic then."

The boy looked up at her sharply his washed out brown eyes studying her. Ginny just kept her smile raising an eyebrow for effect. "You do have a license don't you?"

A slight sneer appeared on the boy's face, "What does a muggle like you know about anything."

"Jason," snapped his mother, "enough."

Ginny just laughed forestalling any apology from the parents. But the boy still looked at her with narrowed eyes letting her know he was not about to back down.

"You American's with your quaint slang expressions," said Ginny with a big grin on her face. "I guess I am this muggle thing and no I wouldn't know much about it. But my uncle, now that is a different matter."

"Your uncle," asked the boy. Now Ginny knew she had him.

"When he was younger he used to perform magic all the time but would not get a license. One day the magic police came and took him away."

"Yeah right, and threw him in the slammer I suppose," laughed the boy.

"I wouldn't know about a slammer but he did get put in a dungeon."

"A dungeon," asked the boy a little quieter. Ginny could see he was thinking now and not sure what to believe.

"Of course a dungeon, this is England after all. We've had dungeons and castles for over a thousand years. Some of these dungeons are pretty deep and dark. And that is where he ended up. In the deepest one."

Ginny could see the boy was still trying to figure out if what she said was true or not when he asked, "What happened to him?"

"Well all I know is he came back after a year, or maybe it was two," said Ginny feigning an attempt to remember this detail. "Any way he came home again and hasn't done magic since. Even when the family asks he absolutely refuses."

The young boy had gone so pale that the splattering of freckles across his cheekbones and nose were very pronounced. His eyes were so round that his eyebrows were almost lost in his sandy brown mop of hair. A small "O" had formed on his lips.

"If you folks need anything else just let me know," said Ginny as she turned to serve other tables as the breakfast nook was slowly filling up. I think I over did that a bit she thought ruefully to herself. Although, it sure was fun and he did need taken down a peg she admitted.

A little while later Ginny felt a slight tug at her apron while she was clearing off a table. When she looked, there stood the young American girl with a solemn face. She had light brown hair, verging on blond that was pulled back into a full curly ponytail that fell to her shoulder blades. Ginny squat down so she was at eye level with the girl and was struck by the color of her eyes, the soft blue of cornflowers blooming in spring. She also had her eyes locked on Ginny's brown ones. Ginny smiled gently to reassure the girl.

"Yes, you wanted something."

The girl looked at her a moment. "If I promise not to do any magic will the magic police not come after me," she asked in such a rush that the sentence tumbled out of her mouth almost in one entire word.

Ginny got a sick feeling in her stomach. Now look what you have done with your meddling she thought. How could she explain everything to this girl to relieve her fear. Then an idea popped into her head. "Tell you what, if a magic policeman comes around here looking for you I will kick, bite, scratch, hit and carry on so crazily that he will run away in fear."

The American girl's eyes grew huge as she looked at Ginny. Then in a soft voice she asked, "you would do that for me?"

"Absolutely with out any hesitation."

The girl looked at her a second then quickly threw her arms around Ginny's neck in a tight hug and just as quickly let go. Ginny caught a slight flush to her cheeks as she turned to hurry down the corridor leading to the front of the hotel.

As Ginny stood up the American woman walked over and then it was Ginny's turn to flush slightly. "Look, I am sorry about that. I didn't mean to frighten your daughter. I should never have told that story in front of her."

Ginny noticed the woman looked tired and drawn and was using makeup to try and conceal that fact. She idly wondered if the woman was ill in some way. Maybe their holiday was more for relaxation to help alleviate some of the woman's stress. It sure looked like she needed it badly.

The American woman just waved the apology away with a tired sigh. "Don't worry, Angie just takes things a little too literally sometimes. She is a treasure though," she stated with a fond smile. "I did want to apologize for what Jason said to you earlier."

Ginny just smiled holding up her hand, " no need. I don't know what he said so how could I take offense?"

"Jason can just be so…" and the American woman trailed off at a loss for words.

"Awkward sometimes," supplied Ginny with a friendly smile.

The woman nodded smiling. "Sounds like you may have a child too?"

"Oh yes, a daughter that will soon be eleven."

"A daughter almost eleven, I thought you were," as the woman's voice trailed off her face flushing scarlet.

Ginny just smiled. "A common mistake, I am a lot older than I look," the lie coming easily to her lips. "It is both a blessing and a curse if you want to know the truth," continued Ginny with a fake frown and a twisted grin.

The American woman stared at her a moment and burst out laughing. "Yeah I guess it would be at that. I think I would be tempted but just as well not. No need to add more problems then you already have I guess," she laughed jokingly. "Well I better be going or my family will wonder if I got lost."

"Enjoy your day of sightseeing," said Ginny.

"Thanks, we will." With that the American woman walked down the hall and through the door at the end.

Later that day Ginny was curled up in an old worn out armchair in a corner, the sun streaming across her shoulders from the window above her. A book lay open across one knee and the arm of the chair, held in place by a long slender hand. The other hand was idly twisting her long hair around a finger as her eyes absorbed the words on the pages. A slight smile played at the edges of her mouth.

She had found that reading muggle books could be entertaining and many had really good stories. At first she thought many of the stories she read were true accounts but soon learned that the characters and stories were all someone's imagination. With trail and error she had found books she could read and understand. She found romances just too funny and modern author's stories were too confusing with muggle ideas and muggle machines she couldn't get her mind around. She had to admit though, she did like reading books called fantasy once in awhile because they often had her in stitches for days over how magic was explained or the magical creatures. It was muggle books called classics that she found something she could read and understand. Like this one about a false count bent on revenge for unjust imprisonment by a French author named Dumas.

A door slamming and the sound of a heavy book bag hitting the floor interrupted Ginny's reading. Then a young girl marched into the room and threw herself into a chair with a grunt.

"Good afternoon Heather, a good day at school I take it," asked Ginny with a smile on her lips still pretending to read her book.

"That Sarah Westerly is really a mean girl," came a disgruntled reply.

"Hmmm." Ginny still pretended to read.

"Well she started in again about," and here the girl's voice took on a nasal twang, "my father will soon be a minister at parliament and I will stay in this school so he can show he is touch with the common people."

"As if anyone really cares what her father does. It wouldn't be so bad but then she has to start saying how common some people are and mostly she says it about me. It just makes me so mad."

"You should just…" started Ginny.

"Yeah I know, just ignore her. But it isn't that easy," came the frustrated response.

The girl lapsed into silence just staring at the wall lost in her thoughts. Her long thick hair was pulled back into a plaited ponytail with bangs falling to just above her eyebrows. This hair could best be called a mahogany in color with rust red highlights throughout. She had hazel eyes with flecks of dark green in them that were not too widely spaced. Her face was slightly angular with a slim nose over a friendly mouth.

Heather stood up took off her gray school sweater tossing it over the back of the chair she just vacated. She crossed the room loosening the blue and silver tie, denoting her school colors, then stopping to look out the window. There wasn't much to see except a few back walls to other building and many roofs. Her eyes focused on a flock of birds darting here and there in the distance.

"Well at least we got to laugh at her today," said Heather still looking out the window.

"How so? " asked Ginny.

"Somebody tied her shoes together and she fell over when she stood up. Everyone got to see her silly pink underpants with blue bunnies on them," snickered Heather.

"I suppose that someone isn't a person I know by any chance, is it?"

"Oh mum! Just because I got caught dropping water balloons on her once doesn't mean other don't like her. Besides, we were just leaving when it happened."

"And who is we," asked Ginny marking and finally closing her book.

"Just my friends."

"I guess that means Tina, Karen and Dean," sighed Ginny.

Heather turned from the window and looked at her mother. "They are my friends and …"

"Heather, stick out your tongue!" There was a fierce frown on Ginny's brow, all the playfulness had left her face.

"What?"

"Stick out your tongue," Ginny demanded.

"Why?"

"Just do it!"

So Heather stuck out her tongue a little mystified. Then pulled it back in quickly, a look of dismayed understanding crossing her face. A belated hand went up to hide the side of her nose.

"At least you didn't mutilate your tongue," stated Ginny clearly angry. "I thought I made if clear, pierced ears were one thing, but you were to young to pierce anything else."

Heather's face had taken on a slight flush, an indication of her embarrassment and growing anger. "All my friends have them so why not me," came the heated reply.

"I don't care what your friends do. I care what you do and that includes not poking your body all full of holes." Ginny's voice was now starting to rise in volume.

"Yeah, like you can stop me," came Heather's shouted response.

Ginny had risen from the armchair by this time her book totally forgotten on the cushion. An angry response was on her lips but she bit it back clenching her hands into fists. She didn't want to get into another shouting match with her daughter. They were having too many of these lately. Besides, this was the first time Heather had ever said anything that really hurt or bothered her.

With her teeth clenched Ginny took one last look at her daughter. She didn't know what to say or how to respond to this last statement, so decided to just leave the room. She knew this wasn't the best course of action but was at a real loss on what to do. So she kept her back straight and walked out of the room trying not to give the impression of running away.

Heather sensed she had gone too far by the fleeting look she caught in her mother's eyes as she turned away heading out of the room. She still wasn't ready to back down but was starting to feel slightly guilty over what she had blurted out. At the last second she called to her mother.

"Mum," she said in a quieter voice. "I'm sorry"

Ginny was no longer in the room.


	3. Afternoon Games

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I do not own Harry Potter, the characters or the ideas behind them. They are the soul property of R.K. Rowling. I am just borrowing them for a while and will try not to do too much harm with them. This story is my concept and any small similarities to another are purely coincidental. I will always reference any ideas I borrow from other wonderful authors.

****

- Afternoon Games -

It was Ginny's afternoon off and she was in the small back garden by a tiny shed repotting roses. She had found she enjoyed the work even if they were just mundane flowers and not all the exotic plants Professor Sprout use to have them working with. She found, to her great surprise, a love for the growing and nurturing of roses. Because of her, a good variety were growing all around the small hotel. They could be found springing from pots, wrapping around pillars or tucked into any bare patch of ground. Another benefit to her passion was the many vases with cut roses throughout the hotel giving splashes of color in the somber interior. All this helped to give the hotel a quaint Victorian atmosphere many quests were quick to comment on.

It was here the hotel owner found Ginny as he stepped onto the flagstone terrace. He was a tall lean man who stood with an erect posture. He had a full head of white hair brushed back in a natural stylish cut giving an impression of convenience rather than vanity. He had many wrinkles and deep lines on a care worn face that had a square jaw, straight roman nose and wide set brown eyes. An old scar could be seen etched along his left jawbone.

"I thought I might find you here," said the hotel manager in a rich tenor voice.

Ginny turned and smiled at him here hands covered in fresh peat. She used the back of one hand to rub an itch on her nose not realizing she already had a smear of dirt on it and across one cheek. "Thought I would take care of a few things while I had the chance," said Ginny.

The manager's wrinkled face folded into a pleasant smile, "You know you don't have to do that."

"But I want to," came Ginny's automatic response.

"There is really no need to take care of all this," said the manager sweeping his hand palm up to indicate all the roses.

"Now John," replied Ginny with an over dramatic sigh.

"Okay, okay," John said throwing up his hands in mock self defense his smile widening. "We've danced down that road enough times. But it's worth a try every now and then."

Ginny just rolled her eyes making a guttural noise of righteous indignation in the back of her throat.

John just snorted. "The reason I came looking for you because I needed to ask a favor."

"Anything," jumped in Ginny.

John just shook his head. "Not so fast, you don't even know what it is I want to ask. I could now say I wanted you to dive off the Tower Bridge?"

"You want to come watch," Ginny responded with a wicked grin.

John just started laughing. "You would do it too."

Ginny just kept a pleasant smile on her face, her hands clasped in front of her like she hadn't a care in the world for a second or two. Then she quivered her eyebrows a few times and a devilish grin curling the corners of her mouth. "So I take it I won't be jumping off the Tower Bridge anytime soon then?"

John just kept chuckling, "No I think I will save that for another time." Then he got serious once again. "Look, Betty will be gone for a couple of days and I was wondering if you could cover for her?"

Ginny shrugged her shoulders, "sure there are not that many guests right now and a few extra rooms shouldn't be too much of a problem."

"I was sure that was the case but I just wanted to check. Also, you could probably leave some of the breakfast cleanup with Linda if it came down to it."

"I don't think that will be necessary. If it was the middle of summer there might have been a problem."

"True, well then I will let you get back to it." As he was turning to walk away he saw a young girl hovering at the side of the terrace trying not to be too conspicuous. A little smile played at his lips and he turned his head back to Ginny. "I think you have a young visitor," he murmured. Then he left the terrace nodding to the young girl as he walked by.

Ginny finished with repotting the rose she was busy with, set it aside and reached for another to do. She could see that Angie was trying to work up her courage to say something so decided to help her out.

"Do you like roses Angie?" quarried Ginny turning to look at the young girl.

The girl quickly looked down and started kicking at a flagstone with the toe of her sneaker clasping her hands behind her back. "I suppose so," she answered in a small voice.

"Do you have many roses at your home?"

"No." Now the girl was rocking back and forth but still didn't look up.

Ginny just smiled shaking her head. "Well then, if you don't want to talk, how would you like to give me a hand?"

This brightened the girl up immediately and she stopped rocking and looked up at Ginny with a glowing smile. "Can I really?"

Ginny held up one finger, "only if it is alright with your mother."

"She's asleep so it should be alright, "answered the girl with a sad smile.

Ginny raised one eyebrow, "asleep?"

"Yeah. We were supposed to go shopping together but she said she needed to sit a minute. Mom fell asleep so I came exploring."

"Well what about your father," asked a puzzled Ginny.

Ginny was not prepared for the look that crossed the girl's face. It was a combination of many emotions all twisted into one and she hoped her face didn't betray surprise other than a widening of her eyes. There was a lot of sadness and what seemed like maybe resentment, or maybe a touch loathing, something she just couldn't quite make out. She could also see bitterness and abruptly turned away brushing her hands together like she needed to get the dirt off. She did this because she did not want the girl to see the anger on her face because Ginny could have sworn she also saw a lot of fear in the girl's eyes too.

Ginny heard the girl quietly say, "they didn't want us to go with them." Ginny took that to mean her father and brother.

Turning towards the little shed to give her some time to collect and calm her emotions, Ginny pitched her voice in what she hoped came across as chipper and happy. "Well then, if you are going to give me a hand we need to get you an apron. Wouldn't want you to get that pretty pink jumper all dirty now would we?"

After a quick search Ginny emerged from the small shed shaking out an old apron. She tied a knot in the loop for the head so it wouldn't hang too low on Angie. She then folded the long bib part to Angie's waist wrapping the ties around her body once before finishing up with a bow at the back. When Ginny was satisfied everything was how she liked she had Angie stand next to the table while she got a smaller pot for the girl. Then she stood in front of her own pot.

"Okay, the first thing we need to do is get these two bigger pots ready so we can transfer these two Tea roses to them," began Ginny.

"Really, you make tea from these flowers?" asked a wide-eyed Angie.

Ginny just smiled. "Not really, that is what they are known by, as Hybrid Tea roses, … ah let's see," paused Ginny when she saw the confused look on Angie's face over what she just said. How could she better explain this without turning it into a lecture? "Hybrid Tea is a name used when talking about a group of a certain type of rose, like these here. It doesn't really mean that they are often used to make tea, although you can." Ginny screwed up her face before continuing, "it really isn't very good tea by the way. But I have heard they make a good jam, honey and wine from the hips though."

Angie just giggled. "That's funny, roses with hips. Do they wiggle them for other roses?"

This brought a smile to Ginny's own lips. "Well no, that is just what we call the balls that forms after a rose's petals fall off. Although that would be kind of funny if they did huh," answered a laughing Ginny as she put her hand on her hip and swishing them back and forth a couple of times.

Angie just started laughing harder. When she had calmed down a bit she asked, "do roses have many parts with funny names?"

"Can't think of any right off hand. So shall we get started with the repotting?"

"Okay," said the girl as she turned back to the table with the roses. "Are there roses that do make good tea, and how do you make honey from them and is it any good and…."

Ginny groaned. "I don't want to bore you with a whole lot of information when all we were going to do was a simple repotting."

"Please tell me I really want to know, please," begged Angie.

"If you are sure, but if it gets to be too much or I start sounding like a teacher you have to tell me. Deal?" asked Ginny as she stuck out her hand to Angie.

"Deal," said Angie taking Ginny's hand and shaking it.

Ginny turned back to the roses and started explaining what they were doing showing Angie what the different parts of the flower, and generally explaining different things as they went along with the repotting. She settled into an easy routine answering question as simply as she could. When the two had the roses in their new pots they moved around the small terrace taking care of the other roses as they went. At each stop Ginny would explain what she was doing and why. The lecture went along well and true to her promise, Angie stopped Ginny a couple of times when she started giving too much information. Once even saying she sounded sort of like a teacher she had. Ginny found Angie to be a bright girl with many good questions and a willingness to help.

Ginny found talking about roses with someone else helped pass the time quickly and was a nice break from her own thoughts. It seemed in no time she found they were finished and was surprised to see two hours had flown by. Her throat was a bit parched from all the talking and was ready for a much needed break. The overcast sky had started breaking up a little earlier and the air in the closed in terrace had gotten a lot warmer making them thirsty and wishing for a shady place to cool off. They were just closing up the small shed when Heather came walking out onto the terrace.

"Hi Heather, home from school already?" asked Ginny.

"Yeah, I get an early afternoon off this week," replied Heather's coolly.

"We were just about to get something cold to drink, would you like to join us? Oh, this is Angie by the way. Angie this is my daughter Heather."

"Sure." The two girls nodded to each other.

With that Ginny left to get the drinks shaking her head sadly while the two girls moved to a bench along the back wall and sat down. Each sitting at opposite ends looking anywhere but at each other. The droning buzz of several bees dancing from flower to flower was all that filled the silence between the two girls. It looked as though the two were going to ignore each other.

Finally Heather broke the silence when she asked, "Why don't you go to school?"

Angie looked up from a pretense at studying the hands in her lap. "I do go to school, but we are on summer vacation right now."

"Really? We still have several weeks yet."

"Well we did get out early this year because there were only ten of us."

"You only had ten in your class," asked Heather in a mildly surprised voice.

"No, ten in the whole school," corrected Angie.

"No way, you are putting me on," came Heather's reply a touch aggressively.

"No really. I went to a small school by the reservation and that is really how many we were."

Heather studied Angie's face trying to tell if she was being honest or having her on. It seemed she was telling the truth and Heather could not see any reason why she would make up such a story. Once again the two lapsed into silence while Heather contemplated this a bit until she finally asked, "so are there many animals on the reserve?"

A puzzled look crossed Angie's face before she realized what Heather meant. "Oh no, it's not that kind. It is the Navaho Indian Reservation."

This new bit of information made Heather open her mouth then close it as a frown crossed her face. This seemed too unreal on top of her other answer. She couldn't decide if this girl was the type that lied all the time to make herself more important or not. She certainly didn't want to be pulled in and made a fool of. She was not certain how to go about finding out.

As if sensing Heather's distrust Angie continued on, "really, we live in southern Colorado by what they call the four corners area. We live just off the reservation and I go to a small one room adobe school." Then she looked straight into Heather's eyes as if pleading for her to believe she was telling the truth.

Heather stared right back trying to decide and then thought how could she really tell. She mentally shrugged her shoulders before asking. "Do any indians go to school with you?"

Angie brightened, "oh yes a couple do. Even my best friend Nahli goes to school there with me."

"Is that an indian name?" asked Heather.

"Not really, it is kind of a nickname. I think from a name they give to one of the desert flowers there," answered Angie. "In school she has to use Manlita Manysalts."

Now Heather was interested and it seemed honest to her. She had a thousand questions to ask and they started tumbling over each other in her mind trying to be the first out of her mouth. "Can you speak their language?" she inquired as this intrigued her the most.

"I only know a few words, but Nahli and her grandfather are teaching me more," responded Angie. But then she had many of her own questions and was able to squeeze one in. "Do you really have to wear a uniform to school everyday?"

"Yeah, don't you?" asked a surprised Heather.

"No, we can wear whatever we want. I saw a picture once where the girls were even wearing a tie. Do you have to too?"

"Yeah I do, and I hate it," came an obviously disgusted reply.

"I think I would too," stated Angie, "I would feel like I was choking all day long."

"Exactly!" agreed Heather with a big smile.

The two girls seemed to have found a common ground for agreement, which made them feel more comfortable with each other. They started firing off questions returning answers quickly trying to learn more about each other. Oftentimes blurting out questions at the same time causing them to break into giggles. The two were deep into discussion when Ginny returned and she watched them a few moments smiling.

"I see you two girls are getting along just fine," broke in Ginny as she was setting down a tray with a pitcher and three glasses on a near by table.

"Yeah," both girls chorused.

"Mum, you won't believe it, but Angie lives right by a reservation," stated Heather as she jumped up to get her drink.

"That's nice," said Ginny, "do they have many animals?"

Heather glanced at Angie and then both girls broke into giggles.

Ginny just looked at the two and could not see what was so funny, but figured it was some private joke of their own.

"No mum, it's not that kind," said Heather echoing Angie's words still with a broad smile. "It's an indian reservation.

Although this was interesting, she still didn't get the joke. She just shrugged and decided to let it pass and handed each girl a glass of lemonade. She then filled her glass before they all returned to the recently vacated bench.

The three sat sipping their lemonade and Ginny noticed the two girls had lapsed into silence and wondered if her arrival had put a damper on the conversation. She had been talking for the last two hours and was not in a hurry to lead a new conversation now. So the silence between them lengthened, but is seem more companionable than a strained silence.

Finally Angie broke the silence, "would you guys like to play a card game? It's a mug… ah... a simple game."

Ginny just smiled at the slip but kept silent letting Heather decide.

Heather just shrugged, "why not."

"Great," exclaimed Angie jumping up and leading the other two over to a small table. She pulled two packs of cards out of her jumper pockets, opened them up and started mixing them. "The game is called Slap Jack and you have to slap the Jack when it is thrown down in the middle of the table. We all get a pile of cards that we can not look at and somewhere in there will be the jacks. We each throw a card one at a time in the middle until a jack comes up, then you try to slap your hand down on it first. If you do, you get the cards. You win if you can get all the cards. Okay?"

Ginny and Heather nodded their heads a little uncertainly. "Are the card worth anything, do we get points from them?" queried Ginny.

"Nope, you are just trying to get all the cards into your pile," answered Angie. "Okay here is a quick example," she said as brought out a jack and several other cards. She held them all face down and started flipping them onto the table until a red jack came up and then she slapped it with her had.

"Okay, do you kind of understand what I mean," queried Angie a little hopefully while she collected the cards from the table. She shuffled them in with the rest of the cards watching Heather and Ginny. Both nodded their heads uncertainly.

"Well we can try and I will help you as we go along," said Angie. She then dealt all the cards to everyone until there were two left. These she put to the side explaining that whoever took the first pile would get them. "Okay Heather you start," said Angie.

The game started out slowly with Ginny and Heather a little tentative about what to do and not trying to hit the jacks too hard. Finally in exasperation Angie halted the game.

"Stop. We need to throw the card into the center faster," she explained. "That way it becomes harder and than more fun. Also you have to be quicker in slapping the jack because you are trying to get the cards out fast and still see the jack."

So the little group started playing again and slowly increasing the speed throwing the cards into the center pile. Soon the cards were flying and everyone was trying harder to hit the jacks when they turned up. This indeed increased the fun as the winner invariably got their hand slapped by the others.

Ginny found that her reflexes were a little faster then the two girls so would only win enough to stay in the game. It brought a smile to her face to see the girls shriek in laughter when they were slapping at the jacks. It didn't seem to matter that the backs of their hands were slowly turning red from the repeated abuse, just seemed to add a little spice to the game.

As the afternoon wore on the game kept playing itself out, as no one was able to win all the cards out right. The cards seemed to have a mind of their own shifting from one player to another giving them an advantage one moment, then flying away like leaves in the wind. The pile just shifted no matter how hard a player tried to keep them. It was during one of these shrieking laughting slaps that Angie's mother walked onto the terrace.

"Hi mom, do you want to join us in the game," asked a laughing Angie.

"No I can't. You father should be back soon and we should return to the room," she stated.

The change in Angie was dramatic. Her face lost all animation as she quickly started gathering up the card, even to the point of pulling them rudely out the Ginny's hand. When she had them all gathered she hopped down off her chair and started for the terrace exit. After a couple of steps she turned back with a sad smile on her face, "thanks for playing cards with me. I had fun." With that she turned and ran out the terrace exit.

Ginny and Heather were watching the exit with slightly wide eyes a moment when Angie's mother said, "I hope Angie was not too much of a bother, I well.."

"Not at all," broke in Ginny, "we had a great time and she has been no trouble at all. We even learned a new game from her," reassure Ginny keeping a big smile on her face. She was a little shocked at how tired Angie's mother looked, even after sleeping all afternoon. The lines of fatigue were evident through her make-up that Ginny was sure she wore to try and hide them.

"I am glad, and I appreciate you taking time for her," said Angie's mother in worn voice. "Look, I don't want to appear rude, but I really must go. Thanks again for your kindness," she said as she turned and left.

Both Ginny and Heather watched her go and kept looking at the exit lost in their own thoughts. They did not realize that both their mouths was partly open and the same puzzled look played across their faces. They sat this way for some moments then turned to look at each other simultaneously before lifting their shoulders in a half shrug.

"Well I am kind of hungry," said Ginny, "I guess I should go and get something started for supper."

"Mum, do you think would could go out to eat?" asked Heather tentatively. "I know where we can get a posh burger and chips that is not to expensive," she finished in a rush.

Ginny did not let anything show on her face as she slowly rose out of her chair. She made an exaggerated stretch watching Heather's face while letting a hint of a frown cross hers. When she saw Heather slump in her chair she took off for the exit. "Last one to get ready buys," she yelled over her shoulder.

"Hey no fair," shrieked Heather as she jumped up and raced after her mother.


	4. The Gift

_**I do not own Harry Potter, the characters or the ideas behind them. They are the soul property of R.K. Rowling. I am just borrowing them for a while and will try not to do too much harm with them. This story is my concept and any small similarities to another are purely coincidental. I will always reference any ideas I borrow from other wonderful authors.**_

The Gift –

A couple of days later found Ginny tidying up the last bit in the breakfast nook. She was humming to herself planning what she would do next. She was glad of the extra work to do because it would keep her mind busy. She suspected that John knew this and that was why he had asked her to help out. He probably also knew she had started working with roses for the same reason. The busier she was the more she could relax into a routine and not think more than what was needed to do the job.

It was not that she didn't like to think, really, it was just that she wanted to keep her focus on the here and now and looking toward the future. If she let her mind wander it would drift back to the past where she didn't want to dwell, for there lay sorrow, unhappiness and regret. Over the years she had learned to bury the past and keeping busy kept it locked away. Even things in the recent past would sometimes slip behind this wall, not really forgotten, just not looked at any more.

When Ginny turned at the sound of a cleared throat, she was a little surprised to find Angie standing there. "I thought you would have left by now," said Ginny smiling down at Angie.

"We are but.." Angie paused, "well we, I mean, that is I, well." Angie stopped speaking a slight hint of red colored her cheeks.

Ginny kept a warm smile on her face. "Yes?" she queried as she bent down to Angie's level.

"Well I just wanted to say thank you for being nice to me," said Angie softly not quite meeting Ginny's eyes.

"You don't have to do that," responded Ginny, "I had a nice time and it was certainly no trouble."

"I know, but I wanted to," said Angie finally meeting Ginny's eyes. "I also have a question to ask."

"Okay," answered Ginny with a slight shrug.

"I know you like roses and I was wondering what color you liked best," asked Angie.

Ginny was taken a little by surprise by this question and didn't know how to answer right away. She had never been asked that before and had never really thought about it before.

"Don't just give any answer," said Angie breaking into Ginny's thoughts. "You need to think about it for a few seconds."

Ginny thought this was a strange way of framing the request but just shrugged and started running through the different types she might like. All of a sudden an image of a snow white rose with just a tinge of blue at the petal edges popped into her mind. The image was so clear it was a tangible thing, like it had a life of its own and it momentarily took her breath away. She thought it was the most beautiful rose she had ever seen and belatedly wondered where the image came from. It was then Ginny realized that Angie had had her hands behind her the whole time and was just now bringing forth the same rose she had just pictured.

Angie stretched out her arm offering this rose to Ginny and she found her own hand reaching out and accepting it. She couldn't help herself, the rose was so beautiful she just had to take it and smell the fragrance. She lifted it to her nose and inhaled deeply. The smell of fresh washed hair warmed by the summer sun wrapped itself around her and an image of a very young Heather laughing and chasing the ducks in St. James park came to mind. A slight smile came to her face at this memory.

With a jerk Ginny came back to herself realizing what just happened. The rose was magical and Angie had knowingly or inadvertently given it to her. She panicked for a moment before pulling herself together. She knew she could not accept this gift and had to give it back.

"Angie I can't,.."

"Angela!" snarled a voice causing both Angie and Ginny to jump and turn toward it.

By the breakfast nook entrance stood Angie's father with an ugly look on his face. He was a tall slender man dressed all in black that gave his skin a pale grayish cast, almost like he was a walking corpse. His dark beady eyes looked at Angie before focusing in on Ginny and narrowing further in displeasure.

"Haven't I told you not to make friends with her kind," he snarled again never taking his eyes off Ginny.

Ginny knew in some indefinite way he was challenging her. Not as an equal but to get some sort of rise out of her, maybe he was trying to make her angry. Her heart was beating painfully against her ribs and knew this was the result of fear, but decided she would not let him get to her. She was somewhat relieved when she held her gaze steady without any emotions showing through.

"We're leaving, move," snapped Angie's father causing a slight jump out of his daughter.

Angie's father kept his eyes locked on Ginny's seeming to pay no attention to his daughter as she walked toward him with her head bent forward and eyes downcast. Just as Angie drew next to him he raised his hand as if to strike her causing Angie to cringe and bolt for the door. Ginny's eyes widened at this and a flash of anger crossed her face before she could stop it.

A chuckle came from Angie's father and a nasty sneer to his lips. He was taunting her and enjoying his little twisted game. Ginny quickly composed her features even though her heart was beating faster than normal. The fear was gone though and replace now by a fire she had not felt in a long time. This man may feel he was in control but something in Ginny said she could not or would not accept this.

Just as Angie was slipping out the door Ginny called out, "nice meeting you Angie." She did not know if Angie acknowledged her or not as her eyes were locked on Angie's father. She did see the sneer ebb away and his brow darken and a look of pure hatred coming from him. Even this did not make a crack in her façade of calm but seemed only strengthen her steadiness.

Ginny knew she had to keep this between her and Angie's father and not let his anger drain off using Angie as a target. She wasn't sure how she could change his focus away from Angie until it suddenly dawned on her. Why would a wizarding family stay at a muggle hotel unless they did not want it to be known they were here? Ginny mentally kicked herself for not realizing that earlier, but now maybe she could redirect his anger.

"So, did you get all your business taken care of," queried Ginny stressing business slightly.

Angie's father started and his eyes narrowed as an alarmed look fleetingly crossed his face. Then all emotion drained away as he kept staring at her with eyes that had gone dead. She could see the muscles twitch in his face as he clenched his jaw. After a couple of second his hand slowly reached inside his jacket where Ginny knew his wand must be.

Ginny stood her ground and just when she was sure he would pull out his wand, sounds of talking and laughter could be heard in the hall beyond the door. Angie's father hesitated a moment, removed his hand from inside his jacket, turned and strode out the door behind him.

Ginny caught herself holding her breath and slowly exhaled. She was really shaken by the encounter and more so because she had knowingly faced an angry wizard and challenging him in a backhanded way. This she had also done without her wand and mentally kicked herself for such a dumb move.

"What were you thinking!" she chided herself. Things could have turned badly and then and she could well have died leaving her daughter alone in the world. She could only shake her head in disbelief wondering what idiocy had prompted her into such an action. Still a small part of her was surprised and a little pleased. It was not long ago she would have run away to cower in some corner. It did not mean she wouldn't so again, but it made her pause a bit.

She took another deep breath and let it out tying to shake out the tenseness of her muscles. She was slowly unclenching her fists when she realized she still held the rose Angie had given her. She remembered surreptitiously sliding it into the folds of her apron when Angie's father startled the two. An unconscious desire not to cause problems for the young girl.

Now Angie was gone and there was no way she could return the rose without causing more problems for herself and definitely Angie. She was hesitant to keep the rose and just as hesitant not to let it go. The rose seemed to call to her and she had to admit it was a long time since she had been around anything magical. After a short debate with herself she decided to keep the rose and took it up and set it in a small vase in her room.


	5. When Memories Intrude

-1_**I do not own Harry Potter, the characters or the ideas behind them. They are the soul property of R.K. Rowling. I am just borrowing them for a while and will try not to do too much harm with them. This story is my concept and any small similarities to another are purely coincidental. I will always reference any ideas I borrow from other wonderful authors.**_

**When Memories Intrude**

A few days later found Ginny still silently criticizing herself over her encounter with Angie's father. She kept trying to push the memory of the encounter behind her protective wall. It never seemed to stay there long and resurface several time throughout the following days. Most times distracting her from what she was doing.

Like now, she was cleaning the same table in the breakfast nook for the third time. She was too busy with her internal debate to really notice. "How could you be so incredibly stupid," Ginny chided herself, "challenging a wizard like that. What's worse, you didn't even have your wand with you."

A small voice answered, "But I did stand up to him, not long ago that wouldn't have happened."

"Oh perfect," snarled Ginny. "Why don't I just go out into the motorway and play tag with a motorcar. It would result in the same thing. Didn't even stop to think of Heather did you. Where would she be with you dead?" This time the small voice did not answer.

With a heavy sigh Ginny tried once more to push her internal debate away and get on with her duties. The rest of the day she was fairly successful at keeping the encounter at bay, although it kept niggling at her. With her struggles to keep the memory locked away older memories started slipping though. At first they were just glimpses and Ginny did not even notice them, sort of like background images that were always there.

With these stray glimpses of Ginny's, other more substantial memories started playing out in her mind. It was as if her protective wall, once breached, was crumbling in on itself. She could have given the excuse she was worn out from suppressing her encounter with the wizard, but deep down she knew that was not true. She enjoyed the beginning images, they reminded her so much of all the good things she had done or seen. It was only with time that the memories turned bad and then it was far too late.

She found herself coming down the back stairs late one morning carrying an arm load of bed sheets humming softly. It reminded her of a time when she was young and doing the same thing with Ron, her brother. She had to smile just thinking about that time. Ron, true to his nature, was complaining about how he should not have to do women's work. Unfortunately for him their mother heard him. Ginny could still here her mother.

"Ronald Weasley! You think you don't need to help out do you? Well, you can just march into the washroom and do it all by yourself for a week. Then we will see what you have to say."

For a week Ginny and her other brothers had made as many dirty clothes and soiled linen as possible. She was sure her mother knew what was going on, but said nothing. Ron could only grumble making certain his mother did not hear. Ginny did not know whether he still thought the same after this week. If he did, he had kept it to himself.

So it went during the first part of spring. The memories started as a trickle, soon becaming a flood. They were of happy times, many with the family, at dinner, pulling pranks on each other, holidays and many other instances. Because they were good memories on the most part she really did not try to push them away from her like she had so many times in the past. Ginny kept giving the feeble excuse to herself that she was just tired of trying to keep her memories at bay. In reality she was enjoying the memories and the nostalgia they brought with them.

One morning Ginny was busy setting the tables in the breakfast nook when two girls came in talking and giggling together. Ginny was expecting to see Lavender and Parvati

deep in their usual gossip or at least seeing the two second year Hufflepuff girls that could not seem to keep quiet. Instead it was just two young muggles with their heads together lost in their secret world giggling. This brought Ginny up short, not because it was not some one she expected to see, but because she had started thinking of non-magic people as muggles again. This surprised her.

As spring moved into summer Ginny's memories started to take on darker and more unhappy moments in her life. One of the first to assail her was a memory from when she was very young. It was a time when she had thought she had killed Percy with incidental magic. He had been at Hogwarts a year and was being so condescending, telling her how she was just a little girl and had nothing more than the base rudiment of magic. Besides she could never be as good as he was. He kept giving her his superior little sniff saying how much more versed he was in magic and how she could not possible understand all the intricacies involved. He kept at it until she had gotten so mad that before she know it a surge of power flowed from her throwing Percy against the kitchen wall. He had slumped to the ground not moving. This had shocked and scared her so badly, being sure she had killed him. Even when she was shown that Percy was all right, he had just been knocked out, she still cried and hid in her room for a week afterwards. She had apologized but remained cool towards Percy ever since.

Ginny became irritable and absent minded, not that she ever really snapped at anyone. She smiled less often and her work was taking longer to be finished. She would be exhausted at the end of most afternoons from a combination of mental stress of trying to keep past memories at bay and the physical work. Even her dreams started to be affected making her wake tired in the mornings, just adding to an already expanding list of problems.

The relationship between Ginny and Heather also seemed to be deteriorating. It was not that they were yelling at each other all the time, on the contrary, they seemed to say less to each other. It was as if they both were walking on eggshells, like strangers afraid to act or say something that would offend the other. Several times Heather seemed on the verge of saying something to Ginny but never doing so. And for her part, Ginny made several promises to speak with Heather, but never seemed to find the right moment.

Late one Saturday afternoon Ginny decided it was time to have a talk with Heather so she thought a little shopping in London with a nice meal in the evening would be a good way to do it. It started out fine with both being pleasant to one and another, but there was no easy companionship. It was like they were both following a script on how one should act without the emotions behind their actions. When it began to rain it gave both an easy excuse to end their outing early.

When they got back to their flat Ginny though she would give it another try and see if the two could maybe find out what this quiet watchfulness was between them. She was also insightful enough to realize it was not all one sided and maybe the both could work it out. This dance the two were performing right now could not go on with out something or someone snapping.

Ginny kicked off her shoes, took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "Why don't I make some tea and we can sit and talk for awhile, okay Heather?" asked Ginny.

"Yeah, okay I guess," came the reluctant reply that was partially drowned out by a rumble of thunder.

Oh this is not going to be easy thought Ginny as she started filling a kettle. A bright flash followed by a horrendous clap of thunder startled her and the kettle slipped from her hand, crashed off the counter and onto the floor spilling its contents all over. Ginny sheepishly looked over at Heather but saw her clutching her hand to her chest a little wide-eyed.

Seeing the expression on each others face was too much and they both burst into laughter. "I don't know what scared me more, you or the thunder, " came the still laughter filled voice.

"Well I think my heart has run away and left me behind," Ginny shot back. This set them off in more laughter which abruptly stopped when there was a buzzing sound, a pop and then lights went out.

"Oh that's just great," came the subdued voice of Heather.

"Don't worry, I think there is a torch in the cabinet here. I'll just take a look," said Ginny.

Ginny put her hand out and took a tentative step forward in an effort not to bump into anything and her world turned upside down. It seemed as though a jolt of fire was racing though her veins and she let out a piercing wail she did not realize had left her lips. Her heart slammed against her ribs and seemed to stop and once again she felt the terrifying fear course through her very soul.

She threw herself backwards in desperation to get away folding in on herself and landing hard on the floor, all of which she never felt. She tried scrambling away but something was blocking her escape, she was trapped. It is not possible she tried to tell herself as another wail escaping her lips. Her heart was beating like the wings of a hummingbird and she could not seem to draw enough breath down her into her lungs. Once again she was in the Chamber of Secrets.

She did not know how long she lay there curled tightly in a ball nor when a buzzing started to penetrate the fog clouding her mind and forming coherent sound. She listened to it, focusing on it, letting it draw her back to herself.

"Mum, Mum! Oh please Mum, answer me," came a quavering voice.

Ginny blinked a few times, slowly unfolded and pushed herself into a sitting position.

"Mum?" came a quiet voice causing Ginny to blink once more and focus on her daughter's face. Fear was clearly etched there with glistening tracts of shed tears traced on her cheeks. At some point the lights had come back on without registering on her mind. It was the plea from her daughter that had reached into her dark place.

Ginny took a quavering breath, "kind of silly of me scaring myself like that, don't you think?" She was trying to play down what just happened so lamely blundered on, "silly me, stepping in cold water I just spilled and thinking some monster had grabbed me." She trailed off putting a wan smile on her face in an attempt to comfort Heather.

She could see Heather trembling and her emotions struggling to accept an excuse that was not really believable. This tugged at Ginny's heart, but how could she really explain the visions and terror that assaulted her from the past, world she had never told Heather. Instead, Ginny opened her arms and enfolded her daughter in a tight hug when she rushed into them.

"When you didn't answer I thought, well I…" Heather's voice trailed off into nothingness.

"Shh, shh," said Ginny soothingly stroking Heathers hair. "Don't think about it. It's okay now," she crooned rocking gently. The two stayed huddled on the floor for a long time.

Ginny loved working in the breakfast nook but was becoming more and more reluctant to do so. It had become the intangible source of all her recent turmoil and the idea began to seep in that maybe getting a change of routine would let her get control of her emotions and memories again. She knew this was just avoiding the issue, taking the easy way out, but she was becoming nervous and irritable, a situation she did not like. So it was that Ginny was reluctantly working in the breakfast nook late one July morning still having, as yet, not gone to John to ask for a change.

Routine was getting her through the morning, as she was distracted, lost to thoughts and images randomly meshing like some bizarre mosaic in her mind. She would murmur pleasantries when spoken to or smile kindly when needed, an automatic response Ginny barely noticed. When a young couple walked in hand in hand, eyes only for each other, a sad smile crossed Ginny's lips. If only it could be so easy.

Ginny momentarily closed her eyes sighing inwardly. She should never have given the key to her last safely blocked memories. Trying to shove them behind her protective wall was useless, the wall had long since crumbled to dust. So the memories of Harry finally came seeping in.

With some relief Ginny noted the memories slowly unfolded and not come as a rushing struggling torrent. She could only shake her head as she remembered once again her childish crush, a slight red tinge spreading to her cheeks as she thought of her antics back then. She had tried to move away from Harry, putting distance between them, going out with other people, finding other friends. In the end she accepted that Harry had a hold of her and thoughts of him were always close to the surface even when she was not consciously aware of them.

In Ginny's fourth year her crush for Harry started to change in to love. It was something that did not come flooding in one morning when she woke up, but a slow progress over time. That year was a mess with the horrible woman, Umbridge, coming from the ministry giving new rules right and left and restricting important use of magic.

Harry and a group of other students set up a secret practice to learn using defensive and offensive magic. It ended up with Harry being the teacher, which turned out to be a perfect choice. He was patient, explained well and never got mad at someone who had trouble with the spells. He took the time or searched for another way of explaining it until everyone could do the spells well. It was during this time that Harry saw Ginny as a person to teach along with the others. Watching him work with the others and how he acted with her during the training times brought about this metamorphism.

By the end of the year everyone could do all the spells even the complex and advanced Patronus charm. Harry even got the youngest Creevey kid to produce a silvery if weak mist when he preformed the spell. It was also at the end of this year that Harry and several students went to the Ministry of Magic to rescue Sirius. Harry reluctantly let his friends come along to help, not that he did not feel they could do it. He did not want to get anyone hurt.

The rescue was really a trap set by Voldemort and the students ended up in a running battle with Death Eaters. Luckily none of the students were killed, but they were able to acquit themselves quite well even when injured. After the battle, the realization of how lucky they were, did not dampen their sense of growing confidence. A sense that they did have control over events, actions and could make their own choices.

Even though they got a teacher for the DADA her fifth year , Harry and many of the others still kept up with outside practice. It was a kind of growing sense of family that brought them together. As such Harry seemed to feel that he must teach them more spells for defense and working them in unison with other like spells. He wanted everyone to move from one spell to another with little to no thought. By grouping the like spells was a way of accomplishing this.

To teach this to the others Harry needed to practice while looking up new spells. He wanted to understand how they worked so he would know the best combinations and how to explain them to the others. He started using the Room of Requirement more and more. At first he would go alone, but soon he was asking Ginny along. There was a slow romance budding between them and they started to do more things together.

At first Ginny was a little surprised and kept a jaundiced eye on the whole relationship. By the end of fall she was no longer hesitant and found the time spent with Harry enjoyable. Even more so because he was treating her like a person not just Ron's little sister. Of course that had it disadvantages too, not from Harry but from Ron who seemed to not like the idea of her little sister dating Harry. They were best friends and why he took exception to this was hard for Ginny to understand. This made it necessary for them to slip off together without telling anyone.

Ginny cheeks got just a bit more rosy as she remembered that some of their quite escapes turned into snog fests. She ducked her head and started to concentrate a little more on her work. She was sure everyone would take one look, see the red tint and know what she was thinking.

Thinking of snogging got her to thinking about the one night she and Harry went to the Room of Requirement. It started the same way as always, him studying and practicing new spells, her doing normal studies getting ready for O.W.L's. Except this night she had a three foot essay due for Snape discussing the differences between the various Germander herbs, their uses in brewing medicinal cures and the most effective way to use each.

They had both gotten busy doing their respective work and as usually totally forgot the other was in the room. Several hours later found Ginny struggling to finish her report when Harry asked if she was about finished. This startled her, she hadn't noticed he was no longer practicing, nor how long he had been sitting beside her. She assured him she was almost finished. He nodded saying no hurry and started thumbing through a spell book again.

A short time later she finished and sat back with a sigh and started rolling her shoulders. She hadn't notice how tense she had been trying to get Snape's report done. Harry had previously gotten up and slowly pacing the room so he came over and started massaging her shoulders. This brought a much deeper sigh of relief from Ginny and she leaned back into the firm kneading.

When her shoulders were no longer tense she stood up telling Harry that was lovely and they should get going. He agreed so she stood up and wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss in thanks. Well that lead to another kiss and then another and before they knew it a full on snogging session was developing.

Neither could remember when the study tables disappeared and the large soft sofas replaced them or when a fire started crackling in a large fireplace that was added to the room's décor. Neither could have said if it was one or the others personal desire that changed the room or an unspoken twining of mutual desires. By the end of another hour the two had gone farther then they ever had or thought they would. Afterwards they lay in each others arms enjoying the intimacy.

Ginny was taking shallow breaths when she broke out of the memory and felt a high flush on her cheeks. She felt trapped in the breakfast nook, knowing anyone who looked at her would know exactly what was on her mind, which caused her to blush even more. With her face burning she made for the exit, she had to escape the breakfast room. She spent the rest of the day furiously doing her work, throwing in a long exhausting stint with her roses.

Later that night she crawled into bed desperate for a little sleep. She lay there watching the shadows play across the ceiling from lights off a main street filtering through the window. The minutes slowly piled up until they became hours and sleep looking like an exercise in futility. She was not aware when she finally drifted from restless wakefulness and restless dreaming.

Her world took on a surreal quality with dull shadowy light surrounding her. She was trying to flee from some unknown terror behind her. No matter how hard she tried, she could not move forward very quickly. Things were grabbing her slowing her down, even the air was conspiring against her becoming thick and impenetrable. The darkness behind her came ever closer.

She was desperate now as sickly green shafts of light came floating from the darkness trying to embrace Ginny in their diseased arms. She soon had nowhere to run and was cornered with the darkness looming large before her. A mass of green, like writhing snakes was coming right toward her when all of a sudden another woman was in the way. The diseased arms did not caress or enfold the new woman in a gentle embrace but snapped and sizzled when they surrounded her and she collapsed to the ground in a boneless heap.

From out of the darkness came an inhuman laughing that grated on the ears and clawed at her heart. Then the unmoving lady slowly stood up and just as slowly turned toward Ginny. Her face that of a skull with eyes blazing in a green fire. She slowly raised her arm pointing at Ginny her jaw dropping open.

Ginny pulled herself out of sleep with a stifled cry of terror fighting a moment with her twisted sweat soaked covers. She was shivering violently even though it was muggy in her room. She sat there taking in a few deep breaths pulling her legs up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. It had been several years since this nightmare had last tormented her.

The remnants of the dream where finally slipping away when she notice the soft glow on her small vanity. It was the milky white rose that Angie had given her earlier in the summer and then Ginny realized what it was. It was a Rose of Remembrance given by friends who would be separated by great distances and time so that they would not be forgotten. Angie had given it to her maybe not understanding the full impact of what she had done.

A tear slid down her cheek as she realized this. It was not meant to hurt and given by a small girl out of friendship as she saw it. The problem was, Ginny had run from her memories for so long, shoving them behind her, but the rose released them. The memories came rushing back to the surface all at once not giving Ginny a chance to sort them out thus causing all the turmoil with her emotion over the summer.

Ginny's vision became blurry as her eyes filled with unshed tears. Another tear slid down to her chin hanging there before dropping into space. She tried to blink back the tears, but to no avail as others soon followed their sisters before them. Ginny was not mad at Angie for giving her the rose, how could she when it was such a sweet gesture.

The rose had finally brought home to her what she should have dealt with her past long ago. Something she already knew, but she had chosen the path of denial. A path that lead nowhere except to more problems as she was finding out now. She felt lost and did not know which way to turn. She knew she needed to come to terms with her past, but was not sure if it was too late.

Ginny lay her head on her knees and rocked back and forth quietly crying. She did not notice her door silently close.


	6. The Letter

**I do not own Harry Potter, the characters or the ideas behind them. They are the soul property of R.K. Rowling. I am just borrowing them for a while and will try not to do too much harm with them. This story is my concept and any small similarities to another are purely coincidental. I will always reference any ideas I borrow from other wonderful authors.**

**The Letter**

Heather stood with her hand on the door handle hesitant on what she should do. She vaguely remembered her mother crying out in the night when she was little and how she would go to her mother after those times. Her mother would always hold her rocking gently until she fell asleep. It had been frightening at first but her mother had had a way of making the world warm and safe.

Heather gave a sigh and let her hand fall from the door handle. She paused a moment still undecided, willing the closed door to give her an answer. Her shoulders slumped a bit and then she quietly backed away from the door. It was not really that dark in their flat and she could see the vague outlines of obstacles in her path. She returned to her room and found it cold and uninviting so wandered to the kitchen and then into the small living room finally ending up in the old worn out armchair in a corner.

She sat curled up with her arms wrapped around her legs in much the same way as her mother earlier. Her eyes stared into the grayness focused on something she only saw. With the event during the summer and now this latest one Heather was feeling like she was adrift, the world she knew slipping through her fingers. Her sense of displacement had been gnawing at her slowly, growing as the summer progressed becoming a breathing entity slowly enfolding her in a sense of unreality. It was not just the turmoil surrounding her mother and the distance growing between them, that would have been manageable, but it was also her world away from home. She no longer seemed connected to it.

At first she didn't realize anything was different and missed many of the signs that only her subconscious noticed. As the days passed her mind was finally able to push it to her attention. Even then she wanted to dismiss the feeling. But the little things started adding up. All the times her friends stopped talking when she showed up. The sideways glances that kept being directed at her. The way her friends kept egging her on to get mad at people, by repeating nasty words they supposedly overheard directed at Heather. These little quirks, as Heather got to calling them, didn't bother her as much as being nothing more than annoyances. Adding these to the way her friends started behaving did begin bothering her though.

Heather and her friend had always played pranks on people, especially those they felt needed to be brought down a notch or two. Most of the pranks were benign, for laughs or the embarrassment factor with nothing harmful or potentially dangerous, until this summer.

This summer the pranks turned darker and with them a sense of unease for Heather. She went along with the many pranks, but found herself becoming more a spectator than a participant; often not even wanting to be a spectator. She just did not see the humor in pranks whose sole purpose hedged on pain or destruction. She laughed along with her friends without feeling any of the so called entertainment these pranks were suppose to have.

The breaking point came when her friends threw ink over a sweater Sarah Westerly was wearing. It was obviously new and cashmere by the look of it and they had ruined it. Sarah and Heather had never liked each other and were always going out of their way to direct snide comments against the other. This was beyond acceptable limits.

The look of desolation and heartbreak on Sarah's face leeched all the fun out of it for Heather. It made her feel terrible and a little sick to her stomach. Her dislike for the other girl could not excuse what she and her friends had done. She tried to get her friends to realize that the prank was not funny but they just laughed. When she didn't let up about her feelings on the matter her friends started giving her dark looks telling her she was a one to talk.

This response totally confused Heather. She could not think what they were on about. She confronted her friends demanding what they meant and their answer unsettled her. She could still hear their response echoing in her thoughts.

"Yeah, right Miss High and Mighty," snarled Karen. " I suppose you are not responsible for what happens to people you are mad at, huh?"

"I don't know what you are talking about," answered Heather with a still confused look.

"Oi, listen to 'er, little 'I ne'er do anything wrong'," came Dean's snide remark.

Heather could only stare, she did not understand what he meant. She began to feel uncomfortable under her friends hard stares.

"Don't play dumb with us," added Tina joining in the argument. "We all know how you bewitch people, put a jinx on them you are mad at," she continued on.

"That's not true, you know it isn't," shouted Heather.

"Oh, isn't it?" came Karen's ugly voice. "How is it something seems to always happen to people you don't like? Can you tell me that, huh?"

Heather just stared at them a sinking feeling slowly enveloping her. Could they be right? Could all those instances of unexplained occurrences really come back to her? Could she be responsible like they were saying? It was as if they were implying she was some kind of evil person who caused bad things to happen to people? A coldness descend around her shoulders making the muggy day turn chilly.

Breaking into her thoughts came Tina's nasty reply. "What's the matter, don't like the competition? Rather be the only one going after people?"

Heather could only stare as everything finally slipped into focus. All her friends little 'quirks' suddenly had meaning. All the peculiar glances, whispers, or interrupted talks when she walked up or why they were always trying to get her mad at people. It all started to paint a picture Heather did not like. A sinking feeling made her question herself and her friends relationship.

She looked at Dean, Karen and lastly Tina, who she thought was her closest friend. There were nothing but snide smiles on their faces. She could not believe what she was seeing, and started to slowly back up before turning and fleeing. Harsh laughter followed her down the street and around the corner. She finally understood what she should have seen weeks ago. Her friends were using her for their own ends.

All the things her friend said bothered her and she did not want them to be true, but could not stop thinking about them. The thought kept running around in her head and she was worried that maybe she was jinxing people. She wanted to talk to her mother and several times was on the verge of saying something, but always backed away. It always came down to her worrying her mother might look at things the same way her friends did. That was something Heather really was not willing to have happen. So she kept it to herself.

She still went out everyday like always, pretending to meet up with her friends. Instead she would wander around London. She spent a lot of time at St. James' and Hyde Parks knowing she would not likely run into her friends there. Occasionally she would hit Piccadilly to window shop wishing she had the money to buy something. She always stayed away from Earls Court knowing that was where her friends were most likely to be and she definitely did not want to see them. There were times when she came close to looking for her old friends, but, since they never looked for her in all this time she came to realize they were not really friends after all.

Her mother would occasionally ask how Heather's day was and what she and her friends had done. She would always answer with just hanging around or visiting this place or that. Each time she felt bad lying to her mother. This only made the truth get farther and farther away making Heather more hesitant in speaking up. The lies seemed to grow in her mind until she felt it was a monster she could never let out, especially not to her mother. What would her mother think of her then?

Now she found herself sitting on the old chair while both her worlds seemed to be crumbling around her. Any anchor to her reality paper thin. She did not know what to do or where to turn. All her thoughts endlessly tumbling around in her head. Time slipped away with Heather chasing these thoughts as the night slowly faded.

The next morning Ginny found Heather asleep in the old chair in the corner.

/

Several days later Ginny was still thinking about where she had found her daughter. Heather had not given Ginny a plausible excuse, well not really one that she believed. Ginny knew Heather was troubled about something but did not know how to draw it out of her. Even when she asked point blank Heather had just shrugged her shoulders saying nothing. Ginny felt this was just typical of the entire summer. It had started so well only to fall like so much rubble around her feet.

As Ginny was pulling out the hoover to start cleaning the floors she thought back to another time and place. Everything was going well with Harry just before the Christmas break her fifth year and she was looking forward to spending time with him over the holiday break. It never came to pass because her parents got tickets to visit her brother Charlie in Romania and then a week in Greece for the family. Her family had a good time although she wished Harry could have gone along.

She had been excited to get back to school and Harry and was surprised by the cool reception when she returned. She wasn't really expecting him to sweep her off her feet, but he just seemed there but not there at the same time. A week passed before Harry came up to her and said they needed to talk. Just the way he said it and the look on his face told her it would not be something good.

They had gone into an old classroom where Harry put up locking and silencing charms. He then proceeded to pace around the room in an agitated manner without saying anything, He finally sat down but still did not look at Ginny.

"Well?" she finally asked.

"I have been thinking over the holiday..," began Harry

"I knew I couldn't leave you alone for a second," said Ginny with a big smile at an attempt to lighten the mood.

Harry just gave a tight smile "We are going to have to brake it off Ginny. It just isn't going to work right now," Harry stated with no preamble or warning.

Ginny was shocked speechless for a moment and just stared at Harry. She could not believe what he just said. Not at first anyway and was watching him start to walk away before she came to her senses.

"But why Harry?" she hated herself for letting a plaintive whine creep into her voice at the question.

Harry turned around and seemed like he would not say anything. "Look, I don't want to start a row over this. It just has to be," he finally said.

"Don't want to start a row?" Ginny all but shouted, her temper starting to uncoil. "You bloody well will explain yourself after a statement like that, Harry," Ginny said in a tight voice putting extra emphasis on his name.

The two remained silent just looking at each other. Harry had totally closed down letting nothing show, like a blank wall, a defensive protection many people were all to familiar with. Ginny's face was flushed and her eyes blazed but remained in tight control of her rising temper.

With a sigh of exasperation Harry finally gave in. "I think this will be for the best and the safest for you. I don't…"

"The safest for me?" Ginny exploded. "The safest for me, are you that dense Harry? Nobody is safe right now if you haven't notice," shouted Ginny. She wanted to say more to dig a little at Harry for his absurd notion, but stopped at the look crossing his face.

Harry's eyes blazed under a furious brow pulled down in an angry frown. In a cold harsh voice he answered, "Yes, of course how bloody stupid of me not to realize that Voldemort is out there killing people. Seems I have also forgotten that I am his number one target and all those around me are major targets by default.

Ginny almost took a step back. She had never seen Harry this enraged before nor had he ever focused it toward her. She knew her anger had put words into her mouth before she had thought them out, but she was not going to back down or let Harry intimidate her. Besides it seemed to her he was playing with her emotions again and she was not going to just stand by and accept it this time.

"Oh, here we go again," stated Ginny in a scornful voice. "Poor Harry, feel sorry for me because I had a bad childhood, I am the cause for everyone's pain and suffering. Nobody understands me and I have to mope around looking for sympathy."

"You know Harry, people are getting pretty tired of this pathetic martyr attitude you drag around with you like some badge of honor," threw out Ginny as one final dig at Harry. She was not going to let him play with her emotions again. If it meant using childish hurtful words to back this up, well so be it.

The look of pure fury on Harry's face was intimidating and the way he was tightly gripping his wand gave the impression he was about to use it. Ginny saw all this and by sheer force of will she held her ground, ready for anything. She had no illusions; she knew there would be no contest between the two. If a duel were to come, she would defend and fight with everything she was worth.

The two faced off for several moments and Ginny thought he was getting ready to cast a spell. Instead Harry took a deep breath, let it out slowly and pocketed his wand. A few deep breaths later he walked back to where she was and sat down. He spent a little longer studying hands, cleared his throat and spoke.

"I guess I handled this badly and I am sorry about that," he began. "But the fact of the matter still remains, we must break it off for now."

Ginny was going to reply, but Harry's raised a hand to forestalled her.

"I know everyone is in danger in our world and I know that I am probably in more danger than most. I also know everyone who is around me will be targeted by Voldemort."

"Let me finish," said Harry when Ginny was about to interrupt again.

"People who are around me become more important targets for Voldemort for the mere fact he see them as my servants. If he can have them removed he feels that will weaken me. I know I will need help just to get the chance to face Voldemort and I wish I didn't, I don't like putting people in danger."

"But I can help Harry," said Ginny with a slight whine to her voice. She hated herself for letting it creep into her voice.

Harry sadly shook his head before saying, "I know you have the power and the desire to help but the plain fact is, I don't want Voldemort focusing on you. Which he surely will if we keep going as boyfriend and girlfriend. He may not understand love, but certainly knows how to use it to cause the maximum amount of suffering. Even if he didn't one of his circle would be sure to point it out."

"But Harry…," started Ginny.

"NO," stated Harry forcefully. "If we break it off now it will just look like another failed relationship by me and you remain in about equal danger as everyone else."

"What if I don't want to do this?" Ginny said quietly looking down.

"I'm sorry Ginny, but it has to be like this," Harry said equally as quiet. "All Christmas I kept dreaming of you lying on the floor in the Chamber of Secrets. I just can't put you in a situation where this possibility could increase. I just can't," Harry trailed off in a barely audible whisper.

Ginny gave a shudder at her own memory of the Chamber and mentally shook herself to push it away. A soft rustle made her look up and see Harry looking down at her, sadness on his face.

"I am sorry Ginny," he stated once more softly then turned and walked away.

Ginny opened her mouth but nothing came out, what could she say, it would not change anything. She sat in the room long after Harry had taken down the wards and left.

The next couple of weeks the two did not say anything to each other, sit by each other or even remain in the same room for long. Ginny was furious; at herself for not fighting harder; at Harry for walking away. Others noticed what was going on, but Ginny ignored every question put to her. Then the day came when the fury turned into an icy hand clutching at her heart when she realized she was pregnant; Harry's words sunk in and terrified her. What lengths would Vodemort go to get at her and Harry's child.

She had thrown herself into her studies after that, a way of not thinking about anything. Any time she thought about her child she broke down in cold sweats and started shaking so badly she could barely stand. This in turn made her redouble her efforts of temporary oblivion in her studies. Her world became books, classes and studying to such an extent people started commenting that she made Hermione look lazy. Most just said it was a classic case of 'OWL' fever. Ginny let everyone believe this.

By the time her OWL's were over she had formulated a plan to disappear. Using the chaos at Victoria Station and platform 9 ¾, she put her plan in motion and disappeared.

So lost in thought, Ginny did not realize she had stopped hoovering and was just standing in the middle of the room. When a hand gently touched her shoulder she let out a shriek and whirled around only to see John standing there with a sad smile on his face. All the pent up emotions over the summer welled up at that point and she lost control. Running to him burying her face in his shoulder and wept uncontrollably.

For several moment the two stood there while Ginny cried with John holding her, slowly rubbing her back. When she had cried herself out, she realized where she was and pulled away, a little embarrassed. "Sorry," she mumbled,

John just pointed to his ears and then down at the hoover that was still running. Ginny flushed even more and reached down to turn it off and wind up the cord, trying not to look at John.

"When you get that put away would you please come to my office," said John.

Ginny walked into John's office with a little trepidation and no small amount of embarrassment. Crying was one thing, but crying on John's shoulder was an entirely different situation. What would he think and say now. She waited nervously while he seemed to be rummaging around in his desk.

John looked up, "Aw good you are here. You will need to hurry and get packed," he added.

Ginny's heart caught in her throat and for a moment an thought she was going to faint. He was asking her to leave.

Seeing the look on her face, John kindly said, "Ach no lass, you're going on holiday. As a matter of fact it is an early birthday present you are giving Heather." A grin spread across his face.

It took a second for Ginny's pulse rate to return to normal and then another to realize what John just said.

"No I can't accept this, I just couldn't."

"You can and you will," he stated. "Besides, I have already told Heather to get packing because you are taking her somewhere for her birthday. Also all the arrangements have been made and they can't be canceled at this late date." Ginny tried to protest further but John would not hear of it.

"Look, I don't pretend to know what's going on, but you and Heather are quietly avoiding each other. When you are together you both seem to be walking on eggshells." Ginny looked a little unsettled at that. She had thought it was not so obvious, but then this was John. A person meeting him for the first time would think him aloof with his military bearing. Like he was in a position of command outside of the regular soldier. This was far from the truth. He was aware of everything around him, and a kind and helpful person. He seldom raised his voice or had a harsh words for anyone. He could also be firm without giving offense when needed. Unfortunately like now.

"Ginny, you have never gone on holiday in all the time you've been here. You use to take Heather out afternoons to many of the local parks, but haven't done that in a long time either."

It was a truth Ginny wished she could deny. Having it brought to her attention made it so evident that there was not much she could say in her defense. She was about to try anyway but John raised a hand to stop her.

"You to need a break," he stated. "I will take the tube with you to Euston Station to help with your baggage, and to make sure you get on the train," he added with a grin.

John handed Ginny the tickets. "You are going to the Lake District and need to change at Oxenholme and take the local to Windermere. A friend will pick you up at the station. He will take you to a youth hostel he is running, where you will be staying. Any questions?"

Ginny looked at John a moment and opened her mouth to protest once again, but just sighed in resignation when she saw his frown. She looked down at the tickets in her hand and sighed once more in defeat, "What is the name of your friend picking us up?"

"Oh yes, forgot about that. Everybody just calls him Murphy, and I suspect he will have you do the same. Also, before I forget, you will be there a week. Now hurry along, we need to leave in the next half hour."

Ginny went up to her small flat a little uncomfortable with the situation. How was she going to pay John back for this. She pushed open the door and saw Heather's face all lit up in a huge smile and knew then and there she would find a way for her daughter.

"Come on Mum, we need to hurry," said Heather almost bouncing on her toes. "Where are we going? How are we getting there? How long will we be there? Where are we staying?"

Ginny just smiled at Heather's enthusiasm and found herself getting excited. She could not help getting caught up as well and hurried putting a few clothes and personal items in a small beat up satchel as Heather peppered he with questions.

"Slow down Heather, one question at a time," Ginny laughed. "As to were we are going, well, that is a surprise."

"Ah Mum!" Heather pretended to pout.

Ginny just snickered, "Sorry, not going to work. We will be taking a train to get there."

"Really. Cool, I have never been on a train. This will be so great." Heather seemed to be even more excited if that was possible.

"Got a light jacket? Good, let's get going then." The two reached the door when Ginny motioned to Heather to go ahead. She went back and got her wand and tucked it in the satchel. She had unconsciously decided to start carrying it again.

When Ginny got down to the lobby she found them both waiting for her. John handed her an envelope, "Here is your August wages you wanted. Try not to spend it all on Heather and treat yourself to some small pleasure," he admonished in a laughing way. With that they walked out the door and their first holiday ever.

/

Heather and Ginny were sprawled on a blanket they had spread at the crest of a small hill. The hot August sun was beating down on them and would have gotten unbearable if not for the slight breeze caressing them . The tension over the summer seemed to have melted away with the heat that surrounded them. Both were idly watching the few lacy clouds float across the deep blue sky.

After a bit Heather rolled onto her stomach looking at Ginny. "Mum?"

"Huumm.." came Ginny's lazy reply.

"Well," hesitated Heater. "Promise you wont get mad.." at this she trailed off.

Ginny rolled onto her side looking at Heather. "I am not sure I can give a blanket yes to that kind of statement," she gently said.

Heather looked at her hands twisting them occasionally opened her mouth and closed it. A few moments later she tried again. "During the summer you had several bad dreams, not that I was spying," rushed in Heather. "Well it's just… well I mean… I was kind of wondering… are these the same ones you had when I was younger? I sort of remember you crying out at night when I was little."

Heather watched her mother roll to her back looking up at the sky again. She remained quiet and Heather was a bit anxious she had indeed upset her mother. Just when she thought there would be no answer Ginny gave a sigh and began to speak.

"Before you were born I got in a situation where I could have died and truthfully I thought I was going to. But instead of me someone else did. It bothers me still."

When Heather looked like she was going to ask another question Ginny forestalled her, "Enough of morbid thoughts for such a beautiful day. We don't want to darken our last day do we?" asked Ginny giving a comical face raising one eyebrow. "Besides we should get back to Bowness and catch the ferry to Waterhead." Heather just laughed, a little relived her mother was not mad, and helped to gather up their things.

"Tell you what," began Ginny, "we will get a nice meal in Waterhead and walk along the lake back to Windermere. How does that sound?"

"Oh my aching legs," said Heather exaggerating the slumped poster of someone really tired.

"Well in that case," began Ginny with a snide little smile, "You can carry all our things then. It will help you build up your woefully poor stamina."

"Oh Mum." They were both laughing by then as they walked down the hill arm in arm.

It was late afternoon when Ginny and Heather got back to the hotel. They chatted with John for a bit telling him all about the great time they had, filling him in on what they had done and where they had gone. On their way out the door John called out to them.

"Got a letter here for you Heather."

"Really? Great." She went back to get the letter calling over her should to Ginny, "I will be up directly mum."

Ginny was in the middle of unpacking when Heather walked in.

"Mum, what is Hogwarts?"


	7. Revelations

_**I do not own Harry Potter, the characters or the ideas behind them. They are the sole property of J.K. Rowling. I am just borrowing them for a while and will try not to do too much harm with them. This story is my concept and any small similarities to another are purely coincidental. I will always reference any ideas I borrow from other wonderful authors.**_

Ginny's breath caught in her throat and the clothes she was unpacking fell from her nerveless fingers. She had been caught completely off guard and initially unable to respond. It should have come as no surprise, but she had been unconsciously overlooking her daughter's magic for years. To have confirmation thrust at her like this left her numb and speechless.

Ginny slowly straightened trying to bring her senses together in an attempt to give her time to formulate some kind of answer. Before she could respond to her daughters questioning look, a loud knocking came from the door in the other room.

"I'll get it. It's probably John about something he forgot to tell us," said Heather as she moved to the next room.

"Good, finally picked up your school letter," came a muffled male voice from the next room.

The strange voice drew Ginny into the next room where she saw two people, a man and a woman, barging into the flat. They were typically dressed in the bizarre fashion of mismatched clothing. A style most magical people believe is the way everyday muggles dressed.

The man wore a bright green bowler with mustard colored sports jacket over a red and blue striped shirt. His pants were a dull orange with the legs ending several inches above his ankles where black socks could be seen. To complete the ensemble was a brand new pair of white trainers. He was tall and very thin with beady eyes looking over a beaked nose. He had a slight sneer on his paper thin lips and Ginny took an instant dislike to him.

The woman on the other hand was small, petite with curly brown hair framing a round face. She had dark eyes, a slim nose and generous lips that turned up in a nice smile. She was wearing a loose white top with flowing sleeves all secured around her hips with a black tie corset. Many layers of colorful skirts and scarves hung from the waist and Ginny thought at might have had gypsy blood if it would not have been for the purple and green knees socks and bright red sneakers.

Ginny was irritated by the way the two had barged into the flat without being invited. It only increased when she saw how Heather had backed away from the two with a mixture of suspicion and fear.

"Sit down so we can get this taken care of," came the males curt order.

Ginny's earlier moment of surprise was pushed aside by the rudeness of the two, especially with the man ordering them around in her own flat. She did not care who they were, she was not going to let them dictate to her in her own flat.

"Excuse me, but civilized people wait until they are invited into someone's home. Not to mention they usually give their names before hand," came Ginny's cold voice dripping with sarcasm.

She was pleased to see a look of embarrassment cross the woman's face, but the man just sneered before responding. "Argyle Redferne and Helsa Coombers.

"Now sit down," Redferne pressed on, " we have a lot of things to talk about and very little time in which to do it before next term."

Ginny narrowed her eyes and sat down by her daughter letting this slight go. She was not enamored with his demeanor and knew it would be better to not say anything and get a feel of how things are. Her self imposed exile from the magical world had left her totally ignorant to anything current.

"You girl, are a witch, even though you were born to a muggle. As such you have magical powers that need to be trained. The best place for this training is Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In your hand is the invitation to said school and you will be starting in two days. Clear so far?" huffed Redferne.

Heather did not move or say anything. She did not know what the man was really talking about. Having this all pushed at her so fast left her confused and a little dread was inching its way into here mind.

Ginny did not like how this was going and her fuse was slowly starting to smolder. Redferne seemed oblivious to the situation, or simply did not care at the impression he was making. His whole attitude spoke of dislike.

With barely a pause he plodded on, "You will find with your letter a list of the needed supplies and books for the coming term. These can all be obtained in Diagon Alley, a wizarding shopping district. We have our own money so you will have to exchange muggle money for it. That can be done at Gringotts Wizarding Bank, also in Diagon Alley."

Redferne trailed off, seeming to come to an end or waiting for a response from Heather. None was coming because she was sitting there looking at him with a blank kind of look. He frowned for a moment and then blinked a couple of times like he had just remembered something.

Ginny had to almost physically grab herself to stop from pulling out her wand and cursing Redferne when he had pulled his out. Still, Ginny kept her hand near it in case the need did arise. She was glad she had started carrying her wand again, even if she hadn't used it much.

"I forgot," started Redferne, "but most muggle born witches do not believe at first. A little demonstration is in order so you can see that magic is real." A couple of swishes of his wand and a few muttered words and he had shown simple light, levitation and summoning spells.

During the whole demonstration Heather did not move or show any acknowledgement to what she was seeing. It was as if she was denying her own eyes. The only noticeable difference was the color that had drained from her face.

Redferne was looking at Heather expecting some kind of response. When none came he became agitated. "Well girl, do you have anything to say," he barked.

The fuse ignited and Jenny leapt to her feet. "That's enough," she growled. "I will not have you come into my home belittling my daughter. It truly is a wonder anyone goes to this school of yours with an attitude like that. Not to mention you coming in here with a few parlor tricks proves nothing," came Ginny's snide reply. She was mad at the tactless way Redferne was going about his duty, but more angry at herself for denying her daughter the knowledge of magic. Even goading Redferne into drawing his wand so she could hex him would not relieve her conscience in the least. She knew this would only cause more problems than it solved.

Ginny and Redferne were glaring at each other and Ginny could see his hand opening and closing around his wand, a clear desire he wished to use it. Even though she knew it as an empty consolation, she was still silently hoping he would.

Into the electric atmosphere stepped Helsa Coombers. "Now, now," she said softly putting a restraining hand on Redferne's wand. "There is no need for this hostility. Let's be reasonable about this and talk it out in a more rational manner."

This helped to calm things down, but Ginny was not about to let this Redferne fellow get away with his demeanor or attitude in her flat. Although she would like to place the blame on Redfernfe, she knew the fault was hers in denying Heather a life in the wizarding world. Still, his condescending attitude grated on her nerves setting her teeth on edge and causing her temper to boil.

"Now young lady," began Helsa, "have you ever made anything happen, anything you couldn't explain when you were angry or scared?"

Heather sat where she was not saying anything, as if she was afraid to say something. Her eyes were watching the two strangers warily, almost like a cornered animal fearful to make any sudden moves.

Ginny saw the look which almost broke her heart and it was entirely her fault. She started casting around in her memory for something to help, anything really. A thought came to her.

"Heather, remember telling me last spring about Sarah Westerly falling over because her shoes laces were tied together," asked Ginny. This got a small nod from her daughter which was encouraging. "You were angry at her at the time weren't you?" concluded Ginny.

"Well, she had said some awful things to me," began Heather in a quiet voice. "And…." her eyes suddenly got larger. "S-she could have gotten hurt," squeaked Heather's voice.

"I assure you nothing like that would have happened," barged in Redferne, "just a little prank is all," he finished in a condescending voice.

Ginny couldn't take it any more, this Redferne was an annoyance that would take a saint to suffer his arrogance. "So if the girl was at the top of a flight of stairs the magic would not have happened and therefore the girl would not fall down the stairs and get hurt. That is if I understand you correctly," came Ginny's voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I assure you madam that would not have happened," replied Redferne.

"So you are telling me magic has a mind of its own then," continued Ginny's sarcastic reply.

"Magic does not think you silly muggle," replied Redferne with a snide smile on his face.

Ginny's eyes narrowed and her voice turned as cold as arctic wind. "We are finished here. You may leave now. Come Heather," said Ginny as she started leading her to the bedroom.

"Now wait just a minute," sputtered Redferne,

"You were told to leave," said Ginny as she glared at the two. "Or are you going to use that piece of wood on me proving what a fool you are," asked Ginny in a deceptively calm voice eyeing Redferne.

Redferne's face flushed with anger his eyes blazing. He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times but nothing came out.

"Please wait," came Helsa's urgent voice. "We must know what your decision is regarding your daughter," she pleaded.

Ginny turned and in a softer voice replied, "she will be going to Hogwarts. Now would you please just leave." With that she turned and went into her bedroom closing the door behind her. Ginny heard two loud pops in the other room letting her know the wizard and witch had left.

Heather went and sat on the edge of her mothers bed lost in thought. She did not want to think about what it could all mean for her. Were her friends right, could she have been causing all the bad things to people. A tear slipped down her cheek. What would her mother think of her now, would she give her the same looks she often got from supposed friends. That was something to horrible to imagine. She bowed her head not wanting to look at her mother. If she kept her eyes averted then she would not have to see that look.

Ginny closed her eyes and took a couple of deep breaths to calm down. She did not know how she was going to tell Heather everything she would need to know. She was not even sure how to begin. Hiding was no longer a viable option and probably never was. She took a moment more to collect her thoughts and then looked a Heather. What she saw made her heart skip a couple of beats.

Heather was sitting on the edge of the bed drawn up into herself. She looked so lost and small. Ginny took a step towards her and saw an almost imperceptible flinch from her daughter. The wrenching of Ginny's heart was almost more than she could bear, tears were threatening to fill her eyes. It was all her fault and she was beginning to wonder if it was selfish on her part to keep Heather ignorant of her heritage for so long.

"Heather," came Ginny's quiet voice. There was no movement from her daughter or any response likely in coming. "Heather," tried Ginny again.

"I'm sorry mum, I didn't mean to be a witch," came Heathers quavering voice still refusing to look at Ginny. It was worse than Ginny thought and now she needed to correct her mistake, if she could.

Before Ginny could say anything Heather spoke again. " I don't mean to be bad, but they pointed out how things happened to people when I was around, they s-s-said," here her voice trailed off in a near whisper as Heather seemed to fold more into herself.

This statement gave Ginny a slight pause, who said what and then in a flash knew who Heather was talking about. The odd things she had said all summer along and the few times she let slip about not being with her friends came together and made sense.

Ginny knelt down so she was at the same level as her daughter. "Heather," she said softly. Getting no visible response she put a hand on her knee. "Heather I want you to listen very carefully to me. When people do not understand something or things happen which they can not explain they become uncomfortable. Most people don't like this feeling and would rather find an outside cause than blame themselves. Often they rush to say it is bad or evil. It is easier to label things this way than making the effort in understanding them. Do you see what I am saying?"

There was still no response from Heather and Ginny was starting to get frustrated. How was she going to get to her daughter. She was chewing on her lip in thought when inspiration hit.

"Do you like hurting people?" asked Ginny. There was no response.

"Well do You!" she asked in a firm demanding voice.

"No," was Heather's soft reply.

"Do you go out of your way to cause pain and hurt to anyone?" continued on Ginny.

"No," came the answer with a little more life.

"Did your friends keep telling you how such and such a person had said nasty things about you?"

Heather's eyes got big. "Well yes, but…" began Heather.

Ginny cut her off. "There are no buts. It seems your friends were using you even though they may not have consciously known it was specifically your magic doing it."

Heather took a breath like she was going to say something then seemed to think better of it. Ginny watched several emotions cross her face and could see her slip into thought.

Could her mother be right. Was this all because of her friends. No. She gave a mental sigh, not their fault entirely, she was also responsible. She could have not gotten mad at people so easily giving her friends an incentive to keep goading her. She realized then that she let herself be manipulated because she had so few friend and in the end these were not really friends either. Thinking she was just some tool to use made her so utterly sad. Tears welled in her eyes and before she knew it they were pouring down her face. She felt her mother wrapping her arm around her and pulling her close.

Ginny sat on the floor by the bed rocking her daughter slowly as she sobbed on her breast. She felt miserable not knowing how to console her daughter. She knew it must have been building up all summer; for Heather to finally see the truth of something she probably realized subconsciously would hurt all the more.

Finally the sobs gave way to quiet crying and then the occasional hiccup. Ginny kept rocking her daughter giving her comfort. When Heather was calm again Ginny gave a sigh, this was not going to be easy or comfortable for both of them but needed to finally be done.

Ginny reached for her wand. "Accio tissues," she calmly said. The tissues floated over to Ginny and she handed them to Heather.

Heather took the tissues without comment and then it hit her, her mother was using magic. Shock and hurt were the initial warring emotions on her face. This soon turned to anger and she gathered her breath and an outburst was momentarily halted by her mother holding up her hand.

"Please just listen first," pleaded Ginny. She could see Heather fighting to remain quiet, but finally settling for an angry silence. Seeing this Ginny relaxed and leaned back against the bed trying to collect her thoughts. There was much she needed to tell her daughter and some she just didn't know how she was going to explain.

Heather watched her mother's eyes loose focus with her surroundings. She somehow knew her mother was looking at things in the past and her anger cooled slightly when a look of sadness appeared on her mother's face. She was getting antsy and was about to speak when her mother gave a sigh and started speaking softly.

"You know that I had you when I was very young. Not that there was any question of not having a baby, but I was frightened and didn't know what to do. You see, the wizarding world was at war then, and a very evil and vicious dark lord and his followers were going around killing any and all who opposed them. He was probably the most powerful dark wizard in the last couple of centuries and everyone was afraid. In the end I ran away thinking this would be the best way to protect you. Now I am not so sure if it was best any more", added Ginny.

Over the next hour Ginny explained how dark the times were, the daily disappearances, the attacks on muggles and wizards alike, and some of what people were doing to protect themselves. She explained the mind set of the dark wizards and witches and what many other magical people thought. When she was finished they both sat in silence for awhile while Heather took it all in and Ginny reliving it again.

Finally Heather asked, "Is the war still going on?"

"I really don't know. I haven't been in that world for a long time. I would like to hope it isn't." Ginny stated.

"Didn't you ever want to go back? Didn't you miss it?"

"Yes", was Ginny's short answer. She sighed when she saw Heather frowning. She would have to tell her some of this, so she reached out and moved the bangs away from the side of Heather's forehead. "It is because of this that I didn't, said Ginny softly looking into Heather's eyes.

On her forehead was a faint jagged outline of a scar. It was like the scar had been tattooed at one time and simply faded over time. Heather rubbed her fingers over the scar. Even though she couldn't feel it she still knew it was there.

"Why does this stop you from going back. I thought it was just an odd skin discoloration."

"That is a scar from a curse. A dark curse at that," came Ginny's reply.

"I don't understand."

"What it means, is that a very dark curse was preformed on someone in your family which left a scar and you have inherited this curse scar. Until the curse is broken you will carry that mark. It also means," here Ginny hesitated, "that any dark wizard who see that would go after you. It says your family fights against the dark and are trying to break this curse."

Ginny felt bad telling Heather what amounted to a lie, but felt for right now it was best not to tell her more. Anyway, it was the truth if you looked at in a certain light. At least that was the rational she was giving herself. She needed to find out certain things first and then deal with her half truths later.

Ginny sat there watching Heather closely. She could see the questions cross her daughters face and knew she wanted to ask many more things. She didn't know how she was going to answer them all or if she could divert them to another time. She was surprised by the question Heather did ask.

"Are your nightmares from this war?" asked Heather almost in a whisper.

Ginny was shocked that Heather knew about them. She had thought she had kept them hidden from her daughter. At first she did not want to answer, but the earnest look on her daughters face gave her pause.

Heather watched her mother after her question and seen the eyes widen in surprise before looking down at her hands. Her mother sat very still and seemed to have closed in on herself. The time stretched out and Heather was beginning to feel bad she had asked and was on the verge of telling her mother to forget she asked when her mother spoke.

"Yes it does," was the whispered answer.

Ginny took a deep breath and let it out slowly and then began her story. "It was shortly before you were born while I was on the streets of London when I was spotted by some Death Eaters. I don't know why they came after me, maybe they were just bored, or maybe they thought it would be good sport cursing a heavily pregnant woman. Anyway they started firing off spells and I return them. I guess they were surprised that I fought back and became angry when I had put two of them down. That was when they really started throwing nasty dark curses. I was cornered and could not move very well when one of them shot the killing curse at me. I thought I was dead when a muggle woman I hadn't seen jumped up to run away and got hit by the curse instead. Before the Death Eaters could try again Aurors showed up and started battling them. Since it was a dark day and it had started raining no one saw me slip away. It still haunts me she died like that," ended Ginny.

Heather had paled at the story and for the first time it seemed real to her. She had seen her mother after her nightmares. Saw her stifling cries and rocking herself. The reason for them made what her mother said that much more real. She moved over and wrapped her arms around her mother and felt her shaking a little. Yes it was very real.

After a little while Heather ventured to ask another question but Ginny stalled her.

"That's enough talk about bad things and it is getting late. You will want to get some sleep if were are going to go to Diagon Alley tomorrow," said Ginny in deliberately cheerful voice trying to break the mood and also in hopes of ending the discussion.

This had the desired effect. "Are we really going to Diagon Alley tomorrow?" Heather asked excitedly.

"Well we do need to get your supplies for school if you're going to Hogwarts now don't you think?" said a smiling Ginny.

With that Heather gave her mother a quick hug good night and ran to her room. Ginny gave a sigh, it had not gone a bad as it could have she thought.


End file.
